Sunday, June 6, 2010

Brick to former Beatle Paul McCartney for stating in this video that former President George W. Bush does not know "what a library is". The underhanded dig that makes at librarian First Lady Laura Bush is unspeakable and unwarranted. Perhaps it would be equally valuable for musical celebrities who know what a First Lady is.

You kind of get the impression that Jerry Seinfeld isn't quite sure for a moment whether he should be laughing. But he gives in.

Sec. 600. Promise of employment or other benefit for political
activity

Whoever, directly or indirectly, promises any employment,
position, compensation, contract, appointment, or other benefit,
provided for or made possible in whole or in part by any Act of
Congress, or any special consideration in obtaining any such
benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any
political activity or for the support of or opposition to any
candidate or any political party in connection with any general or
special election to any political office, or in connection with any
primary election or political convention or caucus held to select
candidates for any political office, shall be fined under this
title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
"fined not more than $10,000".
1976 - Pub. L. 94-453 substituted $10,000 for $1,000 maximum
allowable fine.
1972 - Pub. L. 92-225 struck out "work," after "position,",
inserted "contract, appointment," after "compensation," and "or any
special consideration in obtaining any such benefit," after "Act of
Congress,", and substituted "in connection with any general or
special election to any political office, or in connection with any
primary election or political convention or caucus held to select
candidates for any political office" for "in any election".
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1972 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 92-225 effective Dec. 31, 1971, or sixty
days after date of enactment [Feb. 7, 1972], whichever is later,
see section 408 of Pub. L. 92-225, set out as an Effective Date
note under section 431 of Title 2, The Congress.

Sec. 211. Acceptance or solicitation to obtain appointive public
office

Whoever solicits or receives, either as a political contribution,
or for personal emolument, any money or thing of value, in
consideration of the promise of support or use of influence in
obtaining for any person any appointive office or place under the
United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not
more than one year, or both.
Whoever solicits or receives any thing of value in consideration
of aiding a person to obtain employment under the United States
either by referring his name to an executive department or agency
of the United States or by requiring the payment of a fee because
such person has secured such employment shall be fined under this
title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. This section
shall not apply to such services rendered by an employment agency
pursuant to the written request of an executive department or
agency of the United States.
PRIOR PROVISIONS
A prior section 211, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 693,
related to an offer of a gratuity to a revenue officer, prior to
the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 87-849 and is
substantially covered in revised section 201.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
"fined not more than $1,000" in two places.
1951 - Act Sept. 13, 1951, inserted second paragraph.

Whoever, being a person employed in any administrative position
by the United States, or by any department or agency thereof, or by
the District of Columbia or any agency or instrumentality thereof,
or by any State, Territory, or Possession of the United States, or
any political subdivision, municipality, or agency thereof, or
agency of such political subdivision or municipality (including any
corporation owned or controlled by any State, Territory, or
Possession of the United States or by any such political
subdivision, municipality, or agency), in connection with any
activity which is financed in whole or in part by loans or grants
made by the United States, or any department or agency thereof,
uses his official authority for the purpose of interfering with, or
affecting, the nomination or the election of any candidate for the
office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member
of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate
from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or
both.
This section shall not prohibit or make unlawful any act by any
officer or employee of any educational or research institution,
establishment, agency, or system which is supported in whole or in
part by any state or political subdivision thereof, or by the
District of Columbia or by any Territory or Possession of the
United States; or by any recognized religious, philanthropic or
cultural organization.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(L), which directed the
amendment of this section by substituting "under this title" for
"not more than $10,000", could not be executed because the phrase
"not more than $10,000" does not appear in text.
Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(H), substituted "fined under this
title" for "fined not more than $1,000" in first par.
1970 - Pub. L. 91-405 substituted reference to Delegate from
District of Columbia or Resident Commissioner for Delegate or
Resident Commissioner from any Territory or Possession.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT
Amendment by Pub. L. 91-405 effective Sept. 22, 1970, see section
206(b) of Pub. L. 91-405, set out as an Effective Date note under
section 25a of Title 2, The Congress.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

According to a piece by Rich Lowry published in Real Clear Politics,
"The New York Times reports that state and local governments have added a net 110,000 jobs since the beginning of the recession, while the private sector has lost 6.9 million. The gap between total compensation of public and private workers has only widened during the downturn, according to USA Today. In 2008, benefits for public employees grew at a rate three times that of private employees."